Sirach
40:1 Ubunzima obukhulu budalelwa wonke umuntu, nejoka elisindayo liphezu kwakhe
amadodana ka-Adamu, kusukela osukwini aphuma ngalo esizalweni sikanina, kwaze kwaba yilapho
mhla bebuyela kunina wezinto zonke.
40:2 Umcabango wabo ngezinto ezizayo, nosuku lokufa, [inkathazo]
imicabango yabo, nokwesaba inhliziyo;
40:3 Kusukela kulowo ohlezi esihlalweni senkazimulo, kuye othotshisiwe
umhlaba nomlotha;
40:4 Kulowo owembethe ezinsomi nomqhele, kuye owembethe
indwangu yelineni.
40:5 Ulaka, nomhawu, nenkathazo, nokungathuli, nokwesaba ukufa, nentukuthelo, nokwesaba.
ukuxabana, futhi ngesikhathi sokuphumula embhedeni wakhe ubuthongo bakhe buguquka
ulwazi lwakhe.
40:6 Ukuphumula kwakhe okuncane noma akukho, futhi kamuva usebuthongweni bakhe, njengokungathi kuse
usuku lokulinda, ekhathazekile embonweni wenhliziyo yakhe, sengathi yena
baphunyula empini.
40:7 Lapho konke kuphephile, uyaphaphama, futhi uyamangala ukuthi ukwesaba lutho.
40:8 [Izinto ezinjalo zenzeka] kuyo yonke inyama, abantu nezilwane, futhi kunjalo
kuphindwe kasikhombisa phezu kwezoni.
40:9 Ukufa, nokuchithwa kwegazi, nokuxabana, nenkemba, nobubi, nendlala,
usizi, nesiswebhu;
40:10 Lezi zinto zidalelwe ababi, futhi ngenxa yabo kweza i
uzamcolo.
40:11 Zonke izinto zomhlaba ziyobuyela emhlabeni futhi
okungasemanzini kuyakubuyela olwandle.
40:12 Konke ukufumbathisa nokungalungi kuyosulwa, kodwa ukusebenzelana kweqiniso ngeke
hlalani kuze kube phakade.
40:13 Izimpahla abangenabulungisa uyokoma njengomfula, futhi ngeke anyamalale
ngomsindo, njengokuduma kwemvula enkulu.
40:14 Lapho evula isandla sakhe uyojabula, kanjalo abaphambukayo bayakufika
ize.
40:15 Abantwana ababi ngeke baveze amagatsha amaningi, kodwa kukhona
njengezimpande ezingcolile phezu kwedwala eliqinile.
40:16 Ukhula olukhula phezu kwawo wonke amanzi nosebe lomfula liyodonswa
ngaphambi kwakho konke utshani.
40:17 Ubuhle bunjengensimu ethela kakhulu, nomusa umi.
kuze kube phakade.
40:18 Ukukhandleka nokwaneliseka ngalokho umuntu anakho, kuwukuphila okumnandi, kodwa
othola ingcebo uphezu kwakho kokubili.
40:19 Abantwana nokwakhiwa komuzi kuyaqhubeka igama lomuntu: kodwa a
umfazi ongenasici ubalwa ngaphezu kwabo bobabili.
40:20 Iwayini nokuhlabelela kuyajabulisa inhliziyo, kodwa uthando ukuhlakanipha phezu kwakho
kokubili.
40:21 Umtshingo nogubhu kuhuba kamnandi, kepha ulimi olumnandi luyahuba.
ngaphezu kwabo bobabili.
40:22 Iso lakho lifisa umusa nobuhle, kodwa ngaphezu kokubili amabele ngenkathi ekhona
iluhlaza.
40:23 Umngane nomngane akakaze bahlangane ngokungafanele, kodwa ngaphezu kwakho kokubili kukhona umfazi kanye
umyeni wakhe.
40:24 Abazalwane nosizo bamelene nesikhathi sosizi, kodwa umusa uyokhulula
ngaphezu kwabo bobabili.
40:25 Igolide nesiliva kwenza unyawo luqine, kodwa iseluleko kubhekwa phezulu
bobabili.
40:26 Ingcebo namandla kuphakamisa inhliziyo, kodwa ukumesaba uJehova phezulu
kokubili: akukho ukumesaba uJehova, futhi akudingekile
ukufuna usizo.
40:27 Ukumesaba uJehova kuyisivande esithelayo, futhi uyasibekela phezu kwakho konke
inkazimulo.
40:28 Ndodana yami, ungaphili ukuphila isinxibi; ngoba kungcono ukufa kulokucela.
40:29 Ukuphila kwalowo oncike etafuleni omunye umuntu akufanele kube
kubalwa impilo yonke; ngokuba uzingcolisa ngokudla kwabanye abantu;
ohlakaniphileyo okhuliswe kahle uyakuqaphela.
40:30 Ukuncenga kumnandi emlonyeni wabanamahloni, kodwa esiswini sakhe kukhona
izoshisa umlilo.